Road and Bridge may research tool compensation

By RYAN SHERIDANDaily Press writerWelders and mechanics in the Moffat County Road and Bridge Department will soon be compensated for supplying and using their own tools.On Tuesday, the Board of Moffat County Commissioners authorized acting Road and Bridge Supervisor Buddy Mack to gather research from those employees who use their own equipment to create the basis of a compensation program.As part of the project, Mack will also create a standardized inventory of what equipment welders and mechanics need for their jobs."The employees who use their own tools should be compensated for them," Moffat County Commissioner Marianna Raftopoulos said. "Billy will gather feedback from those employees, and we'll then work with Tom Skelding to add that information to the pay system."We want to do right by our employees, do right by the people who are funding the county. We'll definitely try to make some adjustments, and should have something in place soon."Moffat County Commissioner Les Hampton asked Mack to create a list of the tools that welders and mechanics are required to supply.The list would form the standard of what each employee will be recommended to have, and provide a baseline for the equipment compensation plan."Whether it ends up being a benefit or a compensation, we need to find some sort of equitable solution," Hampton said. "We didn't know there was such a problem with tool compensation. Now we're looking into it."In other business, the board:Approved the Memorandum of Understanding concerning the Social Services Department's reimbursement of County Attorney Kathleen Taylor's services to the general fund. The board also approved the contract with Gerard Viscardi to supply legal services in the county attorney's absence.Signed the Community Services Block Grant agreement. The county will receive $14,462.Adopted a policy for handling requests for records through the Colorado Open Records Act.Held an executive session concerning possible litigation over the recovery of medical expenditures. No decisions were made.